Jalapeno Popper Baked Chicken Breasts
Juicy baked chicken breasts topped with cream cheese, jalapenos, more cheese, and bacon!
Servings : 4 serves
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, diced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 (1-pound, total) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
- salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 4 to 5 jalapeño peppers, seeded and cut into long strips
- 4 ounces shredded white and yellow cheddar cheese
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
- Add diced bacon to a large skillet and cook until crispy over medium-high heat.
- Remove bacon from skillet and set aside.
- Return skillet to heat and add vegetable oil to the remaining bacon grease.
- Pound chicken breasts to a 1/4-inch thickness and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Add chicken breasts to the hot oil (you may have to cook the chicken in batches if skillet isn't big enougand cook chicken breasts for 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Flip the chicken breasts, add butter, and continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
- Remove chicken breasts from skillet and arrange in previously prepared baking dish. Set aside.
- Return skillet to heat and add in the cream cheese; cook for 1 minute, or until smooth and creamy.
- Add dollops of the cream cheese over the chicken breasts in the baking dish.
- Take half of the bacon and add on top of the cream cheese.
- Arrange strips of jalapeño peppers over the bacon and cream cheese.
- Top with shredded cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, for 17 to 19 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and cheese is melted and lightly browned.
- Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.
- Garnish with remaining diced bacon and fresh parsley.
- Serve.
Notes
WW FREESTYLE POINTS: 14
- REDUCE your FREESTYLE POINTS DOWN TO 8-points by using low fat cheddar and light cream cheese.
- Assemble everything inside the baking dish and cover with plastic wrap and aluminum foil; refrigerate for up to 1 day ahead.
Remove wrap and foil; bake as directed in the recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 600 kcal | Carbohydrates: 4 g | Protein: 38 g | Fat: 48 g | Saturated Fat: 24 g | Cholesterol: 180 mg | Sodium: 708 mg | Potassium: 612 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 2 g | Vitamin A: 1265 IU | Vitamin C: 18 mg | Calcium: 252 mg | Iron: 1 mg | Net Carbs: 3 g
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.